Ben Thanh Market Reviews

A hugely popular tourist activity and attraction is to visit the many markets of Saigon, and this should definitely be on the itinerary. Exploring the famous Ben Thanh Market for local eats and produce is surely something that needs to be on your list.Ben Thanh Market is always bustling and you can find local coffee beans for sale right next to a stall selling cheap jade and other semi-precious stones. You can find vendors selling items ranging from cheap clothing that reads iPho &amp; souvenirs to fresh flowers and local snacks.Here is a walk around the market:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;

We headed out to Ben Thanh market on our first day here as it was pouring with rain, and the market is indoors. Unfortunately it’s not air conditioned so it’s still a very stuffy experience, but you can literally buy anything here. The hecklers on the stalls are pretty hardcore and try to pull you in as you walk past (I mean physically pull you in) but by this point in Vietnam, we’re used to it. We picked up a few good North Face jackets (fakes) for Pete’s family, and sat down for a bowl of Pho at one of the many food stalls.

If you are a Harry Potter fan, you will thoroughly understand me when I compare Ben Thanh Market with the Room of Requirement inside the Hogwarts Castle. Right from spices, desserts, alcohol, medicines, fruits and vegetables to clothing, bags, shoes, watches, perfumes, cheap cosmetics and jewellery, you only have to think of something in order to find it in this central market. The shopkeepers are the most excited bunch I have ever seen and love bargaining while playfully pulling your leg for no reason at all. For those who find shopping boring, visit the confusing and crowded lanes and bylanes of Ben Thanh in order to see how it can be a whole lot of fun. Getting there: Taking a metered taxi from a reputed company is a good idea with 'Mai Linh' being the most popular and you could be charged around 15,000 VND for the first kilometre. Flagging taxis is easy because Ben Thanh is extremely popular but you could also ask your hotel staff to call you one.